To accelerate invention disclosure activities and strengthen technology transfer strategies, the UP System Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) conducted a pilot run of the intellectual property (IP) clinic on 15 July 2015 at the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in UP Diliman.
The clinic served as a venue for researchers and inventors to seek advice from experts on issues related to IP and technology transfer, as well as help in the course of the invention disclosure and patenting process. In turn, the inputs and concerns shared by the researchers are expected to help the TTOs in designing recommendations that support UP’s goal of becoming a great university, driven by honor and excellence in innovation and technology transfer for public good.
Invited to the IP clinic were the counterparts of the TTBDO in the different campuses: the UP Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, UP Manila TTBDO, UP Visayas Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development, and the UP Diliman Enterprise. A selected group of researchers from the Philippine Genome Center, UP Diliman College of Science, UP Diliman College of Engineering, UP Los Baños Institute of Plant Breeding, and UP Manila College of Arts and Sciences was also in attendance.
TTBDO director Dr. Luis Sison opened the event with an overview of the disclosure and technology transfer process, including the financial incentive of P40,000 for inventors who are able to complete the disclosure process. He also briefly talked about innovation canvass and customer targeting.
The researchers were each given a one-page invention disclosure form to fill out–the first step in the process for applying for the incentive.
They were grouped per project with a TTO to assist them in accomplishing the form and to clarify IP and technology transfer issues.
Discussions within the group focused mainly on the problems that their inventions solve, how their inventions work and their inventions’ current status and commercial potential.
At the end of the day, the TTBDO received forms for 14 inventions that will be subjected to prior art search and further assessment.
Due to the success of the first IP clinic, the TTBDO and its counterpart offices decided to regularly conduct similar ones in various constituent universities. The group hopes this will only be the first of many steps in creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within the university.
